The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 14th March 2025 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

The gender budget — bigger allocations, little impact

Why is it in the news?

The Union Budget for 2025-26 has allocated ₹4.49 lakh crore for women-centric schemes, marking a significant increase of 37.25% from the previous year's ₹3.27 lakh crore. This increase is notable even after considering an estimated inflation rate of 3.61%.

Reasons for Underutilisation of SCSP and TSP Funds

1. Bureaucratic Delays and Complex Procedures

• Lengthy approval processes and multi-tiered administrative hurdles in many states delay fund disbursement.
• This prevents timely implementation of welfare schemes, such as the “Post-Matric Scholarship for SC/ST Students,” which often faces delays due to slow bureaucratic processing.

• The absence of direct consultation with SC/ST communities leads to schemes that do not align with their specific needs.
• In tribal areas, the lack of local representation has resulted in the failure of livelihood programs tailored for forest-based communities.

• Eligible beneficiaries are often unaware of available programs due to poor dissemination of information.
• For example, despite substantial allocation to the “Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana,” low awareness among SC/ST households has limited its reach.

4. Underutilisation due to Misallocation

• Funds intended for targeted development are frequently diverted to general welfare projects.
• This misallocation reduces the impact on SC/ST communities, with some states using TSP funds for infrastructure projects that do not directly benefit tribal populations.

• The shift to digital application processes without adequate digital literacy programs has excluded many SC/ST beneficiaries.
• For instance, in Rajasthan, the digitization of welfare schemes like the “PVTG Development Programmes” has created barriers for individuals lacking internet access or digital skills.

Challenges Due to Lack of Gender-Disaggregated Data

• The absence of data distinguishing male and female beneficiaries hampers the evaluation of initiatives aimed at SC/ST women.
• For instance, with literacy rates among SC women at 56.5% and ST women at 49.4%, compared to the national female literacy rate of 64.63%, targeted interventions are crucial.

• SC/ST women face layered discrimination based on caste, gender, and class.
• Without data reflecting their experiences, policies fail to address these overlapping vulnerabilities.
• For example, in tribal areas, inadequate attention to gender-specific needs in TSP allocations affects women’s access to maternal healthcare.

• The lack of gender-specific data hinders the government from designing targeted interventions and monitoring their effectiveness.
• For instance, in the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), the absence of separate data on SC/ST women beneficiaries makes it challenging to assess if they are receiving adequate housing support.

Barriers Created by Digitalisation for Women from Marginalised Communities

• Women from SC/ST and other marginalised groups often lack basic digital skills, hindering their ability to access welfare schemes and online services.
• For example, beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana struggle with digital banking platforms, leading to reliance on intermediaries for assistance.

• Poor digital infrastructure in rural and tribal areas restricts women’s participation in digital governance processes.
• For instance, the Aadhaar-linked Public Distribution System (PDS) often fails to deliver benefits to women in remote regions due to biometric authentication challenges.

• Digital processes aimed at reducing corruption have inadvertently increased reliance on middlemen for those unable to navigate online systems.
• For example, women applying for the PM Ujjwala Yojana encounter difficulties with online applications, forcing them to seek assistance and sometimes incur additional fees.

Learning from Kerala’s Kudumbashree Mission to Enhance Gender Budgets

• Involving women at the grassroots level in planning, implementation, and monitoring ensures that schemes address their actual needs.
• For example, Kudumbashree ’s neighbourhood groups empower women to influence local budget decisions, leading to better resource allocation and utilisation.

• Regular audits and community-based tracking enhance fund utilisation and prevent leakages.
• For instance, Kudumbashree ’s micro-level monitoring system tracks welfare schemes, ensuring funds reach intended beneficiaries and improving service delivery.

Way Forward

• Implement gender-disaggregated and caste-specific data collection within SCSP and TSP to track the impact on SC/ST women.
• Address intersectional vulnerabilities effectively by analysing the data.

• Invest in digital literacy programs to equip women from rural and marginalised communities with necessary digital skills.
• Facilitate community-based access to welfare schemes, ensuring no one is left behind in the digital transition.